Cameron Noling will be playing his final season in 2017 with a new playoff format.

BRANFORD, Fla. — An experienced squad loaded with senior starters, the 2016 Branford High School football team entered the season with higher expectations than previous years. Most players had grown up together, playing in the same youth leagues for years, and the majority of Branford’s skill players had varsity experience.

The Bucs played to their potential in 2016. They put together their best season since 2010.

Yet when it was all over, Branford had only mustered four victories.

It was still a good season considering the top four teams in the district — Trenton, Newberry, Dixie County and Williston — combined for 26 wins and 12 losses.

A new playoff format for 2017 will eliminate district play for 1A-4A schools, as playoff berths will be earned by points accumulated during the regular season.

The move will even the playing field for Branford in the regular season and give the Bucs a chance to schedule more evenly-matched games.

“Getting out of the district we were in gives us a better chance to put together a competitive schedule against schools that are more similar in enrollment size as us,” said BHS assistant coach Tim Clark.

The Bucs should have an easier schedule next year, but they’ll still have to be one of the top four teams in a strong 10-team region to make the playoffs.

Branford is in Region 1A-3, which also includes Bell, Lafayette, Chiefland, Madison County, Dixie County, Hilliard, Union County, Trenton and Hamilton County.

The Bucs will have five guaranteed games against Mid-Florida Conference opponents Lafayette, Bell, Bronson, P.K. Yonge and Trenton.

In future seasons, it could be local teams Branford, Lafayette and Hamilton County fighting for the fourth playoff berth in the region with traditional powers Madison County, Trenton and Dixie County usually at the top.

“I think the rivalries in our region will only increase,” said Clark.